Bunkai is the analysis and practical application of techniques from kata. The Japanese word means “analysis” or “decoding.”

In Kyokushin, bunkai helps understand:
– how to use movements from kata;
– what attacks and defenses are hidden within the technique;
– how to apply kata in real combat.

During bunkai, students work in pairs and study the practical meaning of each movement.

Bunkai develops:
– sense of distance;
– sense of timing;
– coordination;
– applied thinking.

Many techniques that appear formal in kata become real fighting applications in bunkai.

This is why bunkai is considered an essential part of traditional karate.